So you are a beginner blogger and you want to nail your lifestyle blogger photoshoot? It may seem easy to stand in front of a camera and take pics but it's actually harder than you may think. When I first started blogging, my husband was my only photographer. Little by little I've worked with a few photographers until I found the one that worked best for me and my style. I always say it blogging is a lot of work, time and sweat invested. Don't let the pretty photos fool ya!
Backseat closet? Yup, seems about right lol! Changing 3-4-5 outfits in the backseat in the matter of one hour is very common if you are a blogger. A single posts shoot can take anywhere from a short 10-20 minutes, all you really need is 5-7 photos at most but all of that takes effort and hard work. Between the prep, the outfit shopping, planning, editing, writing, proofs back and forth, the photos are actually what probably take the least amount of work. It's everything else that makes shooting a campaign or organic post a job!
Backseat closet? Yup, seems about right lol! Changing 3-4-5 outfits in the backseat in the matter of one hour is very common if you are a blogger. A single posts shoot can take anywhere from a short 10-20 minutes, all you really need is 5-7 photos at most but all of that takes effort and hard work. Between the prep, the outfit shopping, planning, editing, writing, proofs back and forth, the photos are actually what probably take the least amount of work. It's everything else that makes shooting a campaign or organic post a job!
The other day while shooting photos for some brands I am working with, my husband started taking pictures of me in the back seat getting un-ready and about to get into my second outfit. And I had the idea to share some tips on how to make the best out of your time during a lifestyle blogger photoshoot, so here you go:)
1. Plan the outfits the night before. Pick everything from the outfit to shoes, bags and accessories out the night before. I normally either fold or hang everything together (even jewelry - in the bag I will be using) on a hanger so that the entire outfit is prepped and ready to go. A big tip for me is that I wear neutral and super natural makeup so that the various photos don't look exactly the same and I'll change up my sunglasses and/or lipstick.
2. Location, location, location! Have an idea of what type of location you are going for, do the research. Definitely plan the town/city you want to shoot in way in advance and scout the location so that you don't waste time driving around. I have to be honest sometimes my husband and I would plan a location and it just wouldn't work out. And some of the best shoots have been at unplanned places too! Usually when I shoot with Geri we know what town we are shooting in but we play around with locations unless we know a very specific wall, street or cafe we want to work in. I used to stress the location and background of the photo so much but I've realized it's all about YOU (me!) and the editing of a photo. Thank the geniuses behind Lightroom, Facetune and Snapseed.
3. Natural light is golden! No pun;) We have shot in so many different lighting situations and I find that the 4-5pm is the best light... Morning light can be too bright sometimes and will wash out your photos and it's always best to have photos be a little darker so that editing is easier. A photo that's too bright is so hard to edit! And believe it or not, rainy-ish or cloudy days make for such good photos, so don't fret if you planned to shoot on a day and it turned out cloudy! When I shoot with my husband I edit my own photos so this is what has worked for me.
4. Get creative! Whether it's you husband, friend, cousin or pro photographer ask them to take photos in different angles, have fun with it. I've recently started doing that more and I really love the different vibes. It's so important to feel comfortable with your photographer so that you can suggest and ask them what they think about your ideas too. I remember one time I hired a photographer and I was so uncomfortable, that didn't go too far. Comfort is so important.
5. Love yourself! Trust me it can get a little embarrassing to shoot out on the street while people look at you... but you have to own it. At the very beginning I used get so so shy and would literally walk back to my car but little by little I started feeling more confident and now I love shooting pics. It all has to do with how comfortable you feel with the person shooting your pics. Bottom line, YOU are the brand, so you have to own it. It does get easier, I promise.
I am no pro but these are some of the things that have worked for Dave and I. My professional photographer Geraldine is amazing. She is super creative and so nice, she makes me feel comfortable and we have great chemistry together so it works. But if you can't afford a photographer yet, do not be discouraged. I shot photos with my old Nikon with my husband for yearsssss before hiring Geri. Everything is a learning curve and you will find what works for you. The iPhone 8Plus and X have amazing cameras and with all the editing apps now a days you can literally work off you phone as a blogger or Instagram influencer. Oh and stay tuned because I am also going to be sharing an updated post on How I Edit My Photos very soon. I can't wait to share how I take a basic photo to Instagram worthy in a matter of minutes.
Besos amigas,
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